Deviant's Art
by Miss Megz
Summary: Connor tells Hank just who the android in the video is. He decides to pay Carl Manfred a visit and ask him some questions. The grumpy cop leaves with more questions than answers. Set shortly after the Stratford Tower investigation. Rated for Hank's mouth. Cover art is what Markus painted.


Disclaimer: I don't own Detroit: Become Human. If I did, there would have been a lot more Connor!

* * *

"You see something?" Hank asked after Connor had a chance to scan the skinless android on the screen, something about how the RK800 was acting bothered him. Not too long-ago Hank would have laughed at whoever even suggested to him that androids could have emotions but after working with Connor, he wasn't so sure anymore. After the prototype sacrificed his mission to pull his sorry ass back onto the roof, the Lieutenant started to watch Connor more carefully. It was small, and if Hank hadn't been looking for it, he would have missed it, but his partner was slowly developing feelings.

Connor glanced over at the human and shook his head, "no." Hank hadn't been made the youngest Lieutenant in Detroit for nothing, he knew the android was lying. Judging from how Agent Perkins had treated both him and Hank, he hazarded a guess that Connor didn't want to give the prick any more information than he had to. Not even a week ago Hank never would have thought Connor capable of wanting something. "Nothing." Connor stared at the screen again. He let the matter drop for now.

* * *

They were sitting in Hank's car while the prototype finished tending to his hand and attempted to save his shirt. The Lieutenant was playing the scene over and over in his head. Without even the slightest hesitation, Connor had shot the Deviant dead before it could get a shot in. It was obvious that Connor was upset over the outcome. _Another thing he shouldn't be able to do_ Hank thought.

"So, what did you see on that screen back there?" Hank finally asked, getting irritated with thinking himself in circles.

"I told you, nothing." Connor seemed satisfied with the repairs to his hand and was focusing on his shirt. Hank knew it was a lost cause and he was sure Connor did too.

"Don't give me that crap, Connor. I didn't anything because Agent Fuckhead was there, but you saw something."

The android fiddled with a loose button, Hank suspected that if he hadn't taken the coin back in the elevator Connor would be playing with it. "The suspect's name is Markus. He was a gift from Elijah Kamski to Carl Manfred. It was reported destroyed November 5 by police after an altercation between it and Leo Manfred."

"Know how it was destroyed? Couldn't have been a very good job if the damn thing infiltrated Stratford Tower and sent off that message."

"It was shot in the head."

"And it got back up? Damn." Hank had to admit, he was impressed. "Well, lets get you a clean shirt and go see if Carl Manfred knows anything about all this."

* * *

The knock at the door had been a surprise to aging painter. He had just gotten back from visiting Leo in the hospital not too long ago. The young man had been too agitated to handle his father's visit, so Carl had only stayed a few minutes before giving in to Leo's shouts to leave.

"David, go see who's at the door, please." Carl ordered his new android (the game never named Carl's new caretaker, so I named him after the guy who portrayed him, David Atrakchi).

The android stepped in front of the automatic door and it slid open to reveal Hank holding out his badge for the android to scan. "Lieutenant Hank Anderson from the DPD. I would like to ask Carl Manfred some questions."

The android turned to Carl who nodded and stepped aside to let the pair in. "What can I help you with, Lieutenant?" The painter asked. The caretaker returned to it's post by his side. The older man couldn't help but notice the android standing just slightly behind the Lieutenant.

Connor noticed his staring and smiled. "Hello, my name is Connor. I am-"

"Not now, Connor," Hank interrupted. "I'm sure you saw that broadcast sent out earlier today."

"The one with the android asking for human rights," Carl nodded, "hard to miss. I don't see what that has to do with me though."

"We discovered that that android is named Markus and is registered to you." Hank answered.

Carl felt like someone had punched him in the gut; he had a feeling if he could still stand, he would have fallen over at that statement. "That…that's not possible. Markus was destroyed a few days ago." He gripped the arms of his chair tightly.

"It is more thank possible, Mr. Manfred. Your android was reactivated and broke into Stratford Tower to send that message." Connor replied. "I know this is a lot to take in but any information you have could be beneficial for this investigation."

The painter looked over at Connor who had knelt in front of him to really study the android. Something about the way he talked reminded him of Markus near the beginning. There was something he needed to check. "Alright," he nodded, "we can speak in my studio. David if you would be so kind." The caretaker nodded and pushed Carl towards the studio with Hank and Connor following closely. "Would you care for some coffee, Lieutenant?"

Hank the bottle of scotch on the table. Carl watched as Connor deliberately placed himself between the officer and the table. "A cup of coffee sounds great."

"David, could you make us some coffee, please?"

"Yes, Carl. How would you like your coffee, Lieutenant?"

"Two sugars, no cream."

David left for the kitchen and the trio entered the studio. "Markus had been acting strangely that day. I didn't think too much of it at first, he's always had his little quirks."

"He show any signs of violence?" Hank questioned.

Carl laughed and shook his head. "Markus was-is not the violent sort."

"The report says he was deactivated for assault on your son." Connor replied.

"That was an accident. Leo had broken into my studio to steal some of my paintings and when I caught him, I told Markus to get him out. Leo started yelling and knocking Markus down. Markus pushed him once and Leo lost his balance and fell into my lift." Carl gestured to the yellow arm, a light pink stain still visible on the floor. The painter sighed and shook his head, "I keep wondering if I could have done anything to keep all that from happening."

Connor had walked away from Hank and the officer thought it was to examine the blood stain on the floor but was surprised when the RK800 stared at the large painting, head tilted. "Connor, what are you doing?" The Lieutenant walked over to him and barely spared a glance at the painting.

Carl wheeled himself over. "I had just finished that earlier that same day. I asked Markus what he thought of it. Whenever I'd ask him before he'd usually say he liked it or as a machine he doesn't have an opinion. This time he had a different answer." David returned with their coffees. "Thank you, David." Carl held the mug in his hand and looked over at the other human. "He said 'there's something about it I can't define. I guess I like it.' Or something along those lines. I don't have an android's memory. Before he would answer immediately but that time, he paused, like he had to think about it first."

"Machines don't have likes or dislikes, Mr. Manfred." Connor commented but hadn't taken his eyes off the painting.

The elderly man nodded and smiled. "You're right, Connor. Machines don't." He handed David his cup and wheeled himself over a covered easel. "I had Markus try his hand at painting that day. Something about how he was acting made me wonder." He took the cup back from David and the android pulled the sheet off.

The painting showed two android hands bound together with chains. Carl couldn't bear to look at it before but now that he knew that Markus was still alive, it felt wrong to keep it covered. "An android painted this?" Hank asked, he didn't know much about art, but he knew soul when he saw it.

The RK800 finally joined Hank and directed his attention to the painting. The officer watched as Connor's LED spun yellow as he stared at the painting. A quick look at the other android showed a disinterested blue.

"I asked Markus to paint something only he could see, and this is what he painted." Carl studied Connor, the android was too focused on the painting to even notice. Hank did notice and cleared his throat to catch the man's attention. Carl turned his attention away from Connor to Hank; the prototype didn't even seem to hear Hank. "They're changing, Lieutenant." He commented.

The Lieutenant wanted to argue with him but found himself unable. He thought back on Connor playing with his coin in the elevator, of his awkward attempts at conversation, how he chastised Hank's diet. Machines didn't have nervous tics, or desire to be liked, or care about what humans ate. "Machines don't care about art." He muttered and looked between David staring passively at nothing and Connor studying the painting like it held the answer to some great mystery. _I'm too damn sober to deal with this_ he mentally griped. "Come on, Connor, we're done here." He tugged at his arm to get him moving when he showed no signs of listening.

The sharp tug pulled Connor back to reality and he stepped away from the painting. "Yes, Lieutenant."

"Thank you for your time." Hank started to head back to the door, checking to make sure Connor was still following him.

"You're welcome, Lieutenant, Connor. I hope I was able to help." Carl smiled and saw them off at the door. The painter waited until the car pulled away to have the door shut. "You certainly helped me." He turned to David, "I think it's time to find a home for that painting."

* * *

Hank glanced over at Connor as he drove away; his LED was still spinning yellow as he sat silently. The man fished in his pocket and tossed the coin back to Connor. "Jesus, I thought you were annoying with that damn thing. You're even worse without."

Connor began to roll the coin across his knuckles and smiled.


End file.
